You can’t even go back a few paragraphs to edit without deleting everything ahead of it. You can’t google something, you can’t search. The wifi capability works in one direction: to your cloud. These beasts don’t come cheap.įirst: is it distraction free? The Freewrite is set up to write, and nothing else. Astrohaus’ website promises it will double your productivity.
FREEWRITE POSTBOX FREE
The slogan of the Freewrite claims it is a “distraction free writing” device. There are other features worth mentioning: the battery that lasts for a week the word count option in the lower window (my favorite) and there’s even a timer option for word sprints! that’s gonna come in handy for NaNoWriMo time your word sprints! The Freewrite feels sturdy enough that I’m not afraid of damaging anything internal by lugging it outside. While it’s not over-bright, I turned off the screen light first thing (hit the ‘special’ key + l), which is my personal preference, and discovered I can still read my work by regular lamplight at night.Īs a bonus, I can see the screen just as well outside, which means I can move my writing outdoors without any trouble. With the Freewrite, I’m constantly looking up, at the baby, and across the room as I consider something new. I often get eye strain after a long day in front of my laptop.
FREEWRITE POSTBOX FULL
Full disclosure: I’ve already named the device and given it a backstory. It feels like a writing buddy, with all the familiarity of an old notebook, stuffed full of stories. I don’t get this with my laptop, but I am finding this personal ‘sweet spot’ on the Freewrite. My preferred method is writing long-hand, which gives me a feeling of intimacy with the page and the words as they come. It is a pleasure to draft on as I stare off into the distance, lost in the world of my story, no glaring screen demanding my attention. The Freewrite does not allow for editing. In the forums I also discovered that I can also plug the Freewrite into my laptop with its USB cord (also used for charging) and access my work through my Postbox online. I suspect my spotty satellite connection will make this fix a common event.
FREEWRITE POSTBOX HOW TO
Thanks for having my back, little Freewrite!Ī quick trip into the troubleshooting forums instructed me on how to re-sync my cloud. txt copy of the work in question, which I didn’t expect. I ran into some syncing problems early on and panicked, thinking I’d lost my work. Learning how to use my Freewrite was as simple as following a few prompts to set up my ‘Postbox’ online and sync my cloud. The notable exceptions being that the Freewrite fits on my lap without crushing me and has all the convenience of digital processing. It does bring to mind happy memories of plunking away on my parent’s electric typewriter, dreaming of being a famous novelist like the fictional Jessica Fletcher (obviously the whole mystery writer thing didn’t take). Technically speaking, the Freewrite keyboard is smaller than my laptop keyboard, which took me a moment to adjust to. Alexandre Dumas, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou – they would do well in this crowd. While I admire these great writers, I’d love to see writers of color represented, as well as a better balance of genders. His face disappears and my writing awaits. “Good morning, Chuck,” I catch myself saying to Charles Dickens as I set down my coffee and turn it on. Isaac Asimov, Agatha Christie, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and Edgar Allan Poe. Or maybe my old Speak ‘n Spell?ĭepictions of familiar writers wait for me before I turn it on. It reminds me of the way I imagined helpful robots in the era of Return of the Jedi and Flight of the Navigator. There’s a friendliness to this little beast, perhaps in the face I see when I’m writing, folder and wifi toggles like eyes, the keyboard a toothy grin. My Freewrite arrived late last week and we’ve been busy getting to know each other.
The prize was a glorious piece of writing tech: a Freewrite by Astrohaus. Last July, I won a first pages writing contest at Writer Unboxed.
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